The Jackson Public Schools board voted unanimously to deny a charter school’s request to expand into high school grades — but that isn’t stopping Ambition Prep’s plans, its leader said.

The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board approved Ambition Preparatory Charter School’s request to expand into grades nine through 12 at its July meeting. The school currently serves kindergarten through eighth-grade students. However, leaders of the local public school district voiced their disapproval at their board meeting Tuesday night.

“The establishment of this high school will have significant long-term implications, including decreased enrollment in existing high schools, particularly smaller ones, resulting in an impact on district fiscal operations,” JPS Superintendent Errick Greene said.

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